Supplies
All you need in order to nature journal is a piece of paper and a pencil or pen. Those are the essentials. Many of us use additional tools such as colored pencils or paint but these are not necessary.
Below is a basic supply list. These supplies are not essential but will allow you to have more fun with your journaling experience. If you already have your own supplies, use what you have and substitute where appropriate. All supplies may be obtained at your local art supply store or online.
Here is the short supply list. See below for further explanations.
paper/journal
color medium (colored pencils, watercolor pencils, or watercolor paints)
pencil, sharpener and soft eraser
micron pen (with archival ink that won’t bleed)
something to carry supplies in
In addition:
If you use watercolor paint:
brushes & something to carry them in
water
palette
hand towel or paper towel
If you use watercolor pencils:
brushes & something to carry pencils in
water and/or waterbrush
PAPER:
When nature journaling we want paper that is easy to carry around and easy to work with. Typically this involves a journal of some sort.
Journals: There are many fine paper journals available. Choose one suitable for your color medium and one you like. Each of us has individual preferences for sizes, shapes and orientation (landscape vs. portrait) that we feel comfortable with. 4x6 inches or larger work best. A journal that lays open flat is a good idea.
Colored pencils may look best on a flat, smooth textured paper. Mixed media papers work well as does vellum or drawing papers.
Watercolor is usually done on 140 lb. cold-pressed watercolor paper that minimizes buckling and warping when wet.
Scrap pieces of your paper are a good idea so you can practice techniques before you draw or paint. I usually have at least 2-3 around.
YOUR CHOICE OF COLOR MEDIUM:
Almost all colors can be made using the three primary colors: red, blue and yellow. You must have those to start. If you can add to your paints, add a basic green and brown. Consider what colors you see when journaling. If you tend to do prairies, more browns might be worth investigating. If you do lots of trees - more greens, etc…
A. Colored pencils:
You get what you pay for. Artist grade pigment colored pencils are expensive but the leads are smooth and have vibrant colors. They mix easily with each other and are great for detail work.
Sets range in size from a dozen to hundreds of colors. Get one with the primary colors (red, blue, yellow) and the secondary colors (orange, green, purple) plus white, brown and black as a minimum. Again, get what you can afford.
B. Watercolor pencils:
These can be used either dry or wet. They look like colored pencils and blend much the same. Used wet, they create watercolor effects, much like watercolor paints. You can either dip them in water or apply them dry and then add water once you have drawn your image.
C. Watercolor paint:
Lots of options here from student grade tin boxes with small pans of pigment to tubes you squeeze out onto a palette. As with colored pencils, you get what you pay for. Student grade paints lack the vibrancy and depth of professional grade pigments.
Professional paints come in half-pans, pans or tubes. Pans are small square tins filled with pigment that you can refill from tubes as you use up paint. You can select which colors you want to take out journaling and leave others at home. Just fill up your tin with which colors you want.
Tubes are gently squeezed out onto a palette (see below), usually about a pea-size dab is all that you need. These paints dry out on the palette. To reinvigorate them just add a bit of water on a brush and gently mix the water into the paint.
Start small and add what you can afford later. Small travel kits are also handy especially if you are hiking to your journaling location.
BRUSHES: (if using watercolor paint)
Watercolor brushes: come in lots of sizes, shapes and materials. It is better to have one or two good brushes than a whole set of poor quality brushes.
Water brushes: these hold water right in the handle of the brush and minimize the need for carrying water with you when you are in the field. They usually come in sets of three.
Synthetic vs. natural bristle brushes: your choice based on environmental and aesthetic preferences; check to see if the bristles spring back to their original position after you brush them to one side.
Sizes: #8 round is your go-to brush. If you can only afford one brush, this is the one to get.
#4 round is handy for smallish details
brush holder: a sushi mat, a fabric brush holder, a box (although you want to protect your brush tips from banging or bending on the edge of the box.)
CLEAN WATER:
Ideally you have two water containers: one for cleaning your brush and one clean water for adding to paint. Use containers that are light weight, won’t leak and won’t break when you drop them on a rock.
Get creative. We use old medicine jars (they are small!), plastic water bottles, or plastic jars.
Be aware that most paints are toxic. Dumping used watercolor water onto soil or into water is not advised. Also avoid licking your brushes to form a point. Bad idea!
OLD HAND TOWEL:
Used to dab wet brushes on these when you pick up too much pigment or too much water before you apply paint to your paper.
PAPER TOWEL:
To pick up messes, dab paint brushes on, cleaning your palette, etc…
SKETCHING PENCIL:
2B pencils create dark lines. If you want your sketches to disappear under your painting or colored pencil piece then consider using a lighter lead pencil such as a .5 mm lead mechanical pencil or an “F” or even 2H drawing pencil.
Some folks use blue pencils for their sketches as these are not visible in copies.
There are also water soluble graphite pencils that can be used for shadows. Just color in the shaded area and add water.
ERASER: soft, clean white eraser (preferably not on a pencil tip) or kneaded rubber eraser (available at art supply stores)
MICRON PEN: Pigma Micron .01 black pen (archival - it won’t bleed when wet.) These are used to draw dark outlines when you want contrast. Some people use them exclusively and don’t bother with sketching in pencil. Be sure to use archival ink pens that won’t smear once they get wet! There are numerous sizes and colors of micron pens available.
PALETTE:
These come in lots of sizes, shapes and number of wells. Watercolor palettes have indented wells for holding pigment in water. Generally they are lightweight plastic. You can use a ceramic plate or non-porous surface with sides.
You want a palette that holds the colors you are working with and those you want to create by mixing colors but that is small enough that you can carry it with you when journaling. Some palettes are the tops of paint pan containers several inches in size.
Again, experience will show you what you are comfortable with and what size you like.
BAG TO HOLD IT ALL
Obviously keeping all of this organized can be daunting. I actually have a list I throw in the bag so I remember everything. The bag doesn’t need to be large nor should it be heavy. My bag is about 10” square and 2-3” thick. A shoulder strap is nice but not necessary. Some people like lots of pockets to keep it tidy.
OPTIONS:
portable chair or pad - so you don’t have to sit on the ground
personal items: bug spray, hat, sunglasses (although these alter the colors you see)
camera - to take photo of your subject for reference
small ruler
small roll of washi tape or masking tape
masking fluid, or white pen
tissue: helpful when creating special effects like clouds or soft edges; also for picking up excess water
hand lens
VIEWFINDER:
If you don’t have one, make one:
Using a manila folder or stiff paper cut out a 4”x6” rectangle. Then cut out a 3.5”x2” rectangle out of the middle of that.
